Cognitive Warfare : The Invisible Infiltrator

Ever since the earliest of humans have learned to walk upright, idea of conflict has been prevalent. From those days to now, these conflicts have taken many shapes and forms for various reasons. As a general idea, there is always an involvement of at least two parties, who individually feel that their side is the righteous one with just causes. Nevertheless, such conflicts always inflict damages on both sides whatever form that may take. Now, imagining such conflicts on a larger scale with higher stakes like human lives, environment and etc isn't hard. The world has already witnessed events like the Mahabharat (later Vedic era) and two sequences of world wars (modern era). The lives lost and damages done during these events have been severe on both the sides. These conflicts have been fought on a more conventional side of the warfare spectrum with involvement of organized military forces and adherence to some kind of laws and rules of engagement. courtesy: IDSTCH Different Shades of Warfare Spectrum Now, if either of the involving parties in a conflict is as big as a nation, these conflicts have often been seen to evolve into a full blown war. And as mentioned earlier, these conflicts can take different form. In case of a full blown war, there are few types it can adhere to. It can be Conventional with direct involvement of organized military forces. It can be Chemical by using chemical agents (such as nerve agents or blistering agents) to inflict harm, injury, or death upon an adversary. Biological in nature using biological agents (such as pathogens or toxins) to cause disease, illness, or death among an adversary's military forces or civilian population. It can be Nuclear with nuclear weapons to inflict massive destruction and casualties. Other warfare forms include being: 1. Economic : With usage of economic measures and policies to weaken an adversary's economy, industry, and financial systems. It Involves imposing trade sanctions, embargoes, economic blockades, and financial restrictions to disrupt the enemy's economic stability and resources. Focuses on reducing their ability to sustain military operations. 2. Psychological : The use of psychological tactics to influence the attitudes, beliefs and behaviors of an adversary's military forces, government, or population. 3. Cyber: Using digital technology to disrupt, sabotage, or steal information from an adversary's computer networks and systems. Digital technology can be used to disrupt, sabotage, or steal information from an adversary's computer networks and systems. Utilizing propaganda, disinformation, deception, and media manipulation to weaken morale, sow confusion, and create dissent among the enemy's ranks or within their society. However, due to advancement of technologies and boom of internet and social media, a new form of warfare has reared its head. This is Cognitive warfare. Cognitive Warfare Also known as cognitive manipulation, it is an emerging threat which involves manipulating human perception , decision-making and behavior through psychological operations, targeted propaganda and misinformation campaigns. Unlike traditional forms of warfare that predominantly rely on physical destruction, cognitive warfare aims to gain strategic advantages by controlling the cognitive domain without direct physical confrontation. With the increasing influence of social media and advancement in technologies involving big data and subsequent data analytics Cognitive warfare have increased leverage and reach. Difference From Psychological Warfare Now, some might say "what's the difference between the old fashioned Psychological warfare and the emerging Cognitive warfare?" , as both sound very similar when it comes to their objectives and that too on the same target audience. Now, Cognitive warfare is closely related to the Psychological warfare, but the former encompasses a broader scope. While Psychological warfare mainly focuses on influencing the attitudes, beliefs and behaviors of an adversary, Cognitive warfare goes a step further by targeting the cognitive processes that underlie these aspects like the perceptions, and decision-making of individuals and societies. The core belief being that shaping the way individuals perceive and process information can have a significant impact on their beliefs, decision-making, and actions. Undermine an adversary's decision-making processes, distort their perception of reality, and create confusion, doubt, or division within their ranks or society. In conclusion, Cognitive warfare can be projected as an advancement of the Psychological warfare that directly targets the cognitive domain of an individual human target. Case Studies of Cognitive Warfare Pakistan on India : Pakistan's hostility towards India is a well documented one. With its illegitimate claims over Kashmir in mind, Pakistan based institution have constantly tried to peddle misinformation and disinformation. So as to sway the world's and somewhat local's opinion on the matter. Social Media platform like Twitter has been the go to tool for to present lies and deceit against India. The narrative Pakistan has been trying to build for itself is of a peaceful nation. While trying to spread propaganda against India and army. Claiming it to show ill mannered violent demeanor towards the public in Kashmir. The twitter handle of DG ISPR is the very prime example of such propaganda spreading. Also Read, ISPR: An Insight Into Pakistan’s Disinformation Machinery China on India : When it comes to deceiving PLA has often tried the hardest. It has always relied on means of deceit and propaganda to achieve its goals. The very recent prominent examples of this the Dhoklam(2017) and the Galwan(2020) incidents. In the aftermath of the events, PLA tried to create negative perception of India and her army. First, it tried to convey falsehood of PLA soldiers overpowering Indian jawans. In turn, implying that PLA was better prepared for fighting in both the scenarios. Secondly, the impression was being created and India has surrendered substantial amount of her territory to the PLA. All these motive were executed through state run media and social networking platforms. Media ranging from videos, picture, news articles and etc were floated around to provide credibility to the claims of PLA. Shot inside Chinese territory. But presented as shot in the disputed regions LAC Also Read, Galwan Clash: Nightmare For the Chinese Army China on Taiwan : Another aspect of cognitive warfare was put on show by China as US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visited Taiwan in 2022. China launched a massive amount of information and cyber campaigns to target Taiwan and its infrastructure. As per reports, on the day of the visit Taiwanese government was targeted with about 15,000 gigabytes worth of cyber attacks. This showed a massive 23 times increase since the previous single day record. State media also used social media platforms to spread fake images and videos. It showcased large number of PLA troops across Taiwan Strait. Creating a narrative that Beijing was ready for military intervention. And these kinds of narrative building has been done by China on a regular basis. Russia on Crimea : In the year 2014 takeover of the Crimean Peninsula took place. Russia waged a clever battle in the domain of human cognition. As military units without any markers indicating their affiliation suddenly occupied the Crimean Peninsula, President Vladimir Putin immediately made a statement denying Russian involvement. Within a small span o time his remarks were published in the Washington Post, BBC, and other Western media. The purpose of Putin’s statement was to manipulate international public opinion by misleading people’s cognition. In turn preventing the international community from interfering during the critical period of the (alleged as pseudo) referendum to annex the peninsula. After the annexation the operation was considered a positive one in terms of Russia's sovereignty by the Russian media. Large part of the Russian populous saw the move as patriotic and justifiable as well. Also Read, China Gifting Galwan Valley Stones: A Propaganda? Elements of Cognitive Warfare Psychological Operations (PSYOPS) : Spreading propaganda, misinformation, disinformation and other forms of psychological manipulation are undertaken. The basic idea is to influence target audiences with the aim to alter perceptions, beliefs and behaviors by majorly exploiting cognitive biases and emotional triggers. Information warfare : Strategic use of information to gain advantage over adversaries , typically in digital context and arena because of how fast information spreads in today's advancement and global connectivity. Activities like spreading fake news, data breaches, cyber attacks and etc. are undertaken. The goal being to undermine trust in institutions and in turn sow confusion and sway public opinion. Targeted Propaganda : Dissemination of persuasive messages tailored to specific individuals or groups comes under this. Leveraging the big data and its subsequent data analysis in conjunction with algorithms can be used to identify target audiences. Afterwards, tailored contents (posters, videos, monologues) can be presented in order to reinforce existing belief or manipulate opinions. Social media platforms have become crucial tools for the dissemination of targeted propaganda. Technological Accelerants/Catalysts of Cognitive Warfare Technological advancements play a pivotal role in enabling cognitive warfare. Big Data and Data Analysis : Availability of vast amounts of data and sophisticated analytics techniques enables identification of patterns, preferences and vulnerabilities in target populous. Social Media and Online Platforms : Social media platforms and forums have become influential battlegrounds for cognitive warfare. These platforms offer extensive reach, user engagement, and the ability to create echo chambers where individuals are exposed to information that reinforces their existing beliefs. Allegations have been made against social media and online platform giants like TikTok and Google regarding the same. Impacts and challenges of cognitive warfare Cognitive warfare can have significant impacts on decision-making processes at various levels, from individuals to governments. Manipulating perceptions and shaping information, one can alter policy decisions, public opinion and even impact election outcomes. When it comes to cognitive warfare, ethical concerns are always present. Privacy and autonomy are the ones to get impacted first. The line between persuasion and coercion gets blurred. Furthermore, the covert nature of the undertaken activities makes it really difficult and challenging to hold responsible parties accountable. Effectively countering cognitive warfare presents significant challenges. The field of cognitive warfare is relatively new. So, traditional approaches to security may be ill-suited for combating cognitive manipulation tactics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MojUU8GgThM&t=193s Analysis of how both Russia and Ukraine are using cognitive warfare against each other Prevention From Cognitive Warfare Preventing and combatting cognitive warfare requires a multi-faceted approach. On individual level: Media literacy and critical thinking : Promoting media literacy and cultivating critical thinking skills is must among individuals to help critically evaluate and analyze information being served. Education programs and initiatives can be helpful in raising awareness about cognitive manipulation techniques, cognitive biases. Also the importance of verifying information from multiple reliable sources is crucial. Resilience Building: Focus on building societal resilience to cognitive warfare. Promoting inclusive and diverse narratives, fostering dialogue and understanding, and strengthening democratic institutions is the way to go. Emphasize the importance of critical thinking, information literacy, and responsible digital citizenship. Robust Information Verification: Establish mechanisms for robust information verification, fact-checking, and source authentication. Encouraging the use of reliable sources, promoting fact-checking organizations can help individuals distinguish between credible information and disinformation or propaganda. Counter-Narratives and Public Awareness Campaigns: Develop counter-narratives that debunk misinformation and propaganda. Public awareness campaigns can help individuals recognize and resist cognitive manipulation tactics. On institution level : Collaboration between Governments, Tech Companies, and Civil Society: Foster collaboration among governments, technology companies, and civil society organizations to develop strategies and initiatives to combat cognitive warfare. This collaboration can involve sharing information, coordinating efforts, and establishing guidelines for responsible information sharing and platform usage. Transparent Algorithms and Platform Policies: Encourage transparency in algorithms and platform policies to ensure accountability and minimize the potential for manipulation. Platforms can provide clear guidelines on content moderation, addressing fake news, and combating disinformation, while being transparent about their processes and policies. International Cooperation and Norms: Foster international cooperation and establish norms and agreements to address cognitive warfare. This can involve collaboration between nations to develop common standards, information sharing protocols, and coordinated responses to cognitive manipulation campaigns. Strengthen Cybersecurity: Enhance cybersecurity measures to safeguard critical infrastructure, data, and communication channels. This includes implementing robust encryption protocols, conducting regular security audits, and training individuals to recognize and report cyber threats. Conclusion Its not a new concept to try and win against your adversaries without even lifting a weapon. This very concept have already been preached and mentioned by Chanakya, also known as Kautilya or Vishnugupta in his Arthashastra. But cognitive warfare is on a exponentially different level of sabotage. Cognitive warfare is more penetrative that manipulates human perception, decision-making, and behavior through psychological operations, information warfare, and targeted propaganda. It exploits vulnerabilities in human cognition and leverages technological advancements to achieve strategic objectives. Understanding the various elements, technological enablers, and associated impacts and challenges is crucial in comprehending the complexity of this field. As cognitive warfare continues to evolve, it is imperative to develop effective defenses, establish ethical frameworks, and promote global cooperation to navigate the risks and implications it presents.